Unfortunately none of us are going to win races with single gear ratio. My next project (hope) will have room for a Harley 5 speed. Our nemisis is the range possible with SLA, when Lithium Iron or NiMH type batteries get in a reasonable price range we can all switch and our bikes will have renewed life (miles) ;-)
Cheers, Jeff On Jan 25, 2008 6:03 PM, Seth A. Keel <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Jeff, > > I've done the math. It's going to be heavy. Heavier than your > estimate. And don't forget that shaft drives are less efficient than > chains or belts, so there goes some more lost energy. I'm building it > for fun because I like to do this sort of thing, not to win races. This > is a commuter, and I wanted something big and comfortable enough for two > people. Plus, there is a huge amount of space inside the frame, so I > don't have to work so hard to fit in all the innards. I can lift the > bike without the engine, so it can't be that heavy, or maybe I'm strong > enough to handle a large bike. Either way, it should be alright for our > needs. If not, it's a good excuse to build another ;-) > > Seth > > > > > Jeffrey Blamey wrote: > > Seth: I don't want to burst your bubble but 601 lbs dry is good bit of > > weight to move around (they used 78HP of torquey 4 cyclinder). It's > > what you have though. You are moving a couple of hundred extra pounds > > around in your bike. That weight (mass) carries a severe penalty: > > speed, range, and stopping. > > > > 601 lbs, then remove the ICE components, then add in the starter/gen > > (which is what? 75 lbs) and batteries with enough AH to give you the > > range you need, and keep in mind you need two passenger weight to be > > added/moved around, and before you know it you have a bike of 700 lbs > > carrying 250 lbs of load. That is what you have. > > > > Just ask Garrett Maki, his first bike conversion was an 1100 with a > > series wound motor, and it was a beast (I think he had another word > > for it). His second full conversion is a svelte 750 conversion with an > > ETEK and NiCad batteries, nimble, decent acceleration. > > > > Again I stand by my recommendation, the lightest bike to start with > > will net you a benefit of longer range or higher speed. > > > > The majority of the builders here would say to a newbie to bypass the > > 1000cc+ bikes. > > Cheers, Jeff > > > > On Jan 25, 2008 3:03 PM, Seth A. Keel <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > >> Michael, > >> > >> I'm working on getting one going. It's a '75 GL1000 and it is by means > >> TOO big. It's not small either. The bike without ICE components is > >> actually reasonably light. I picked up a starter/generator shunt wound > >> motor that cranks out 18hp continuous and it should be plenty powerful. > >> My girlfriend and I commute together, so we're going to need the extra > >> horses for two riders on the heavier Wing. I was planning on having two > >> PMs like Dale suggested, but this motor turned up first. > >> > >> The main issue is with the final drive. I'm planning on needing to put > >> some kind of reduction between the motor and drive shaft. I was hoping > >> to get a CVT worked out, but now I'm leaning towards a fixed ratio belt > >> drive. > >> > >> The EV album page is several months out of date, but it's got some shots > >> of the bike. > >> http://www.evalbum.com/preview.php?vid=1282 > >> > >> Seth > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> michael wrote: > >> > >>> So, has anyone ever done a gold wing? Or is that just TOO big of a bike? > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> Michael > >>> > >>> > >> > > > > > > > >
